At one time or another, every kid has wondered how big they will be as adults. I wonder how large I will be, and I’m fifteen. It’s natural for kids to be interested in their size, but worry over size is a completely different matter. Kids mainly only worry about height, so I am going to refer to that more than weight or other types of size.
First of all, you have to remember that your height is completely out of anyone’s control. The genetics you are born with are currently unchangeable and will determine your height, so what you get is what you are stuck with.
Next, don’t take the percentages that height and weight are entered into at the doctor’s too seriously. First off all, they are based on where kids at an age should be, not where the spread of kids that age actually falls. I am in the 60th percentile at 160, but I go to school with kids who are at least 100 pounds more than me, meaning they are off the charts. Until my sister turned 12, she was below the 1st percentile, yet she wasn’t always the shortest kid in her class. The same should be considered about the BMI chart. If you are a muscular individual, you may be marked as obese on it because you have muscle mass.
The height of your relatives can be considered, but it doesn’t necessarily mean anything. Some kids may grow to be taller or shorter than their family, although most are similar to at least one relative. I am probably going to be about the same size as my mom’s brothers, or even a bit taller. Also, don’t rely on height calculators, because most base it on the size of your parents. For example, all the ones I tried out said I should be 5’6″ or 5’7″, but I am 5’10” and only 15.
Finally, remember that everyone will grow at a different rate. As a general rule, girls finish at around 15 and boys finish growing around 18, but this is not necessarily true. Men can continue to grow into their 20s.
Every kid cares about how large they are, but they shouldn’t worry. Simply put, it is out of their hands and many forms of estimation are inaccurate. It will be what it will be.
(Graphic: CDC)